Erik Schelzig, Associated PressStudentsVanderbilt Pays $1.2M to Remove ‘Confederate’ from Dorm NameNASHVILLE, Tenn. ― Vanderbilt University announced Monday that it will pay more than a million dollars to remove an inscription containing the word “Confederate” from one of its campus dorms. The private university has referred to the Confederate Memorial Hall simply as “Memorial Hall” since 2002, but was blocked in court from changing the name […]August 15, 2016StudentsTennessee Law Strips University Diversity Office FundingNASHVILLE, Tenn. ― A bill to strip funding from the diversity office at Tennessee’s flagship public university became law without Gov. Bill Haslam’s signature on Friday. Lawmakers had been angered by the University of Tennessee’s diversity office recommendations to use gender-neutral pronouns for transgender students and to avoid religious-themed holiday parties. So they voted to […]May 22, 2016StudentsSenate OKs Bill to Allow Gun Carry on Tennessee CampusesNASHVILLE, Tenn. ― The state Senate on Tuesday voted to allow faculty and workers with handgun carry permits to be armed on the campuses of Tennessee public colleges and universities. The bill sponsored by Sen. Mike Bell passed on a 28-5 vote, and the House was expected to take up the measure Wednesday. Republican Gov. […]April 20, 2016StudentsFree Speech Bill Withdrawn After Islamic State CommentsNASHVILLE, Tenn. ― A Republican lawmaker on Thursday defended his comments that free speech rights on Tennessee college campuses should apply to everyone ― even recruiters for the Islamic State group. State Rep. Martin Daniel of Knoxville said on the floor of the state House that he supports First Amendment rights for people and groups […]March 17, 2016Leadership & PolicyMorgan to Retire Amid ‘Unworkable’ Tennessee Board of Regents ShakeupNASHVILLE, Tenn. ― Chancellor John Morgan is stepping down as head of the Tennessee Board of Regents amid Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s plans to grant more autonomy to the six four-year universities in the system. Morgan said Thursday that he had originally planned to retire when he turns 65 next year, but instead moved the […]January 7, 2016Community CollegesInternal Report: Outsourcing May Undermine Tenn. Graduation PlanAn internal report on the potential outsourcing of building management at public colleges and universities warns Gov. Bill Haslam that the changes could undermine his signature “Drive to 55” initiative to improve graduation rates in Tennessee.September 15, 2015Page 1 of 1